Learning from the Past
by LiquidLady
Summary: No one asked about him or what happened before she left to train. Sighing to herself, she snuggled down further into her blankets. She was tired but sleep wouldn’t be coming. She had too much to think about now that she is back and the well being closer t
1. Chapter 1: Falling

I know that I had abandoned this story awhile ago but I was not happy to where it was going. So I have decided to change part of it and repost it along with a new title (aka To Fight with my own Hands). I am also done with my spring semester at school and have a small break to work on this story. I'm not the greatest wordsmither, but I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, so please don't sue.

Teaser: No one asked about him or what happened before she left to train. Sighing to herself, she snuggled down further into her blankets. She was tired but sleep wouldn't be coming. She had too much to think about now that she is back and the well being closer than she really wanted it to be.

Learning from the Past

Chapter one: Falling

She sat at the base of what looks like an ancient tree. Legs flush against her chest and arms wrapped around them, sapphire colored eyes looking out on to nothing in particular. Mid-night black hair fluttering in the wind around her flawless face, she just sat there portraying the perfect picture of beauty she was. If some one was to walk by they would think that she was lost in the splendor of the perfect sunset that the shrine she was at is named for. How wrong they would be.

Normal humans would not see the amount of power that she was letting leak out of her poorly constructed barrier that surrounds her. She never took Ji-Chan's advice to master her Miko powers. She only learned how to do this barrier recently and she still isn't putting her heart into perfecting it. What was wrong with her? She had no life in her anymore. It is like she just wants to fade away, especially from herself.

He hated seeing his sister this way. He missed seeing her smiling face, a smile that could touch your soul with its purity. She hasn't smiled like that since the day Ji-chan found her unconscious at the bottom of the bone eaters well. That day was two weeks ago. Souta slowly took his eyes away from his sister and looked upon his aging Ji-chan next to him.

"Do you think she will ever talk about what happened to her" Souta said as he begun to sweep the steps leading into the house again.

Looking up from his work in the direction of his granddaughter with sad eyes, Ji-chan sighed "Only she can answer that, Souta. Only she can answer why she holds such sorrow and yet……..yet the feeling of unbridled rage within her."

Said girl rose unexpectedly from her spot under the God Tree and turned to her grandfather and brother's direction. This action shocked both Souta and Ji-chan, she usually sat under the tree until her mother came and forced her inside. Walking like the dead, she made her way across the courtyard of the Shrine to them. Souta watched as a breath hitched in Ji-chan's chest as his sister, Kagome, locked her eyes with Ji-chan's.  
Speaking just above a whisper, Kagome spoke "Ji-chan...I would like to become a...true Miko. Please...find some one to properly train me. I think it is time for me to master what Miko powers I have." With that said she broke eye contact and moved past her grandfather into the house.

All through the one-sided conversation between Ji-chan and Kagome, Souta witnessed Kagome's power flare against the weak barrier that tried to fully contain it. He thought that the barrier will not keep its hold. That it will fail very soon. Then it will be just like the day that she came too after being found in the well. All the hells broke loose that day.

It took awhile for Ji-chan to release his breathe that he was holding while Kagome spoke to him. 'Kagome spoke.' He just couldn't shake that thought. Turning his shocked face to his grandson, Ji-chan spoke his thought.

"Kagome spoke!"

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Souta remembered that day all to well. That was the first time Kagome spoke to anyone since her return from the past. Ji-chan did find some one to train her and train her well. Kagome left two days later on a Monday to begin her training at a shrine on the other side of Japan. His mother and grandfather never told him where she had gone, but that everything would turn out okay for her with time. He wished he did know where she went but his mother must have thought that he was too young to understand why Kagome had to leave.

Souta thought to himself 'I know that I was young but I wasn't stupid. I know that what ever happened to her, Inuyasha had something to do with it.' He noticed that after she was found at the bottom of the well, Inuyasha didn't come to this side again. It was like he never existed in their lives because no one spoke of him.

At least not around Kagome.

He realized that he had begun to slowly hate Inuyasha after she was found. If he could he would hurt Inuyasha like he has hurt Kagome. If only she would tell us what happened. Then he would know why Kagome is hurting and how to get revenge for her. 'But,' Souta thought looking up at the morning sky before returning his gaze to the street 'she wouldn't talk about what happened and no one could bring themselves to ask.'

Today, she is returning. It has been two years since she left, but today she was returning. Souta was excited to see his sister again and wondered if she learned to smile like she once use too. Sitting on the shrine steps, watching a taxi lumber down the street towards him, he hoped that was her taxi.

The taxi came to a stop right in front of him and he was immediately on his feet. The back passenger door opened and out stepped a vision that he would never forget. She had grown up. Her once flawless childlike face was replaced with shear perfection of a woman's. She hadn't grown in height but her stature was strong and graceful. She moved with confidence that he had never seen her with before. Then she smiled. The smile she produced was not the one from his memory but it still settled his soul.

"Souta!" she said opening her arms to me. I didn't hesitate; I was hugging her in a split second.

Kagome looked at her brother after their embrace. 'Kami, he has grown since the last time I saw him. He is almost as tall as me now which it doesn't take much to be taller than me.' Then her thoughts turned dark on her 'I'm so sorry Souta for not being here to watch you grow. To be here for you like a big sister should have been. Frankly to be any kind of sister, at least then you would have had one.' She shook her head to clear the depressing feeling that was slowly creeping up on her. 'None of that Kagome, you know that you can't change what happened. You know that you would have been useless to him the way you were.' Smiling a true smile again, Kagome poked her brother in the chest "Are you going to stand there looking at me all day or are you going to help me with my stuff?"

Souta stood tall, gave his best American soldier salute "Sir, yes, sir!" and rushed to the back of the taxi to get her bags. He stopped instantly from opening the trunk when he heard her laugh. 'She laughed. Oh Kami what a wonderful sound. I missed her laugh so much. I hope she is really better now than when she left us.' Realizing that he was just standing there, he hurried up and got her stuff out of the taxi's trunk.

Not letting her carry any of her bags, Kagome followed her brother up the shrine's stairs to the house. She was nervous to see her Mother and Ji-chan again after all this time. She never called them when she was away, but she did write letters. Letters were easier to contact them with because she could hide her emotions better than she would have over the telephone. She hoped that they would not question her too much on the past. She had adjusted to what happened to her but it would be some time before she could forgive.

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Her Mother had declared it a night of celebration. A celebration of her return. As Kagome lay in her bed, she remembered all the questions that were asked. Ji-chan asked about her training. Her Mother asked about the sites that she saw. 'Souta………..' she sighed. Souta didn't ask any questions, he just wanted to see what she could do with her powers now that she can control them. She laughed to herself at that. Seeing his wide eyed expression when she juggled three balls of pink light in her hands at the dinner table. He about fell off of his chair but then in the same instant excitably asked her to teach him.

No one asked about him or what happened before she left to train. She was glad to have such an understanding family and that they chose not to make her talk about the past. Sighing to herself, she snuggled down further into her blankets. She was tired but sleep wouldn't be coming. She had too much to think about now that she is back and the well being all knowingly too close to her.

Plus there is no reason for them to worry about her anymore than they already do. She did tell one person. It was one condition that was asked of her in order for her to begin her training. Her Sensei knows of what happened. Kagome told her everything from falling down the well for the first time to when she was found by Ji-chan the last time.

Kagome knows that she must go back and finish what was started. Something that her Sensei said, that if she didn't then the barriers between the three worlds wouldn't be erected. Kagome frowned at that thought. At least things would be different this time on the other side of the well. She had the power to protect herself…… physically. Weak Kagome doesn't exist anymore but what worried her was she able to protect herself emotionally too.

That she would find out all too soon, but for right now she is going to spend some much needed time with her family. Because once she goes through the well again, she doesn't know if she will ever be coming back.

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The sun light streaming through her window was the fist thing to greet Kagome from another night of dreamless sleep. Blinking the sleep away from her eyes, she thought about the last month that has past since she returned home. Kagome has spent her time engrossed within her family. Taking care of the house with her Mother, helping out with the Shrine with her Grandfather and playing with Souta. But that was all to change soon. She must go back and finish her destiny. Rising from her bed and picking up her clothes that were set out the night before, she made her way to the bathroom for a needed hot shower.

She had talked with her family last night at dinner about her plans to go back. Her Mother was visibly upset but understood what must be done. Souta stormed off to his room vowing never to talk to her again if she left. Ji-chan didn't say a word but she could see the sadness in his eyes. Remembering what her Mother had said. "Kagome, don't worry about your brother. We know this is something that you need to do. He is just worried about you. We all are." Kagome smiled, she had a wonderfully family.

She was so lucky to have such an understanding and loving family. "What other parents would let their only daughter go through a well that took her back 500 years in the past to fight demons for a stupid jewel" Kagome said laughing as water streamed over her face. Finishing up in the shower, Kagome heard her Mother outside the door telling her that breakfast is ready.

Breakfast……she was leaving after breakfast. Kagome had packed what she would need for the trip last night. She didn't tell them that she may not be back for quite some time or not at all. If her Mother and Grandfather knew that she might not be back, they wouldn't let her go at all. They were understanding but they were that way because they believed that she would always come back to them. They would ban her from the well or even go so far as to destroy it if they knew the truth.

It's her destiny and she must go. 'Destiny' Kagome thought as she got dressed 'I'm beginning to hate that word the more I think it or even hear it.'

Wearing a pair of jeans and a simple blue t-shirt, Kagome pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. Even in its current position, her hair still reached down past her waist in waves. Looking at herself in the mirror, she still couldn't believe it was her that she was seeing. She looked so much older now but yet the same.

Where she was training, mirrors were not allowed. Her Sensei's reason was that vanity was a weakness when improving ones self. She remembered the first time trying to put her hair in a ponytail without a mirror. Needless to say, she had perfected the "messy bun" look.

Her once childlike face has lost the baby fat showing a slender face of a young woman. Her eyes are still the same sapphire blue but now hold a look of knowledge instead of innocents that was once there. Kagome knows she has grown both physically and mentally. She is still pure of heart to all but her aura of innocents is gone. 'Heart of a saint but a body of a whore.' Was the thought that popped into her mind as she thought of her aura.

"I'm too hard on myself" she said to herself as she continued to assess herself in the mirror.

Her body was no longer the under-developed teenager shape but looked more like Sango's, a body that has been trained to be a weapon all on its own. Long toned legs, tight stomach, slender strong arms, her body was fit for anything. She had lost the clumsy awkward look. Sango would be proud.

Kagome closed her eyes as the pin prick of tears was felt at the thought of her sister like figure. "No, Kagome, you will not cry. To cry shows weakness. You must be strong to complete your task." She scolded herself opening her eyes once more to her image in the mirror. "You will see her and the others soon enough, anyway."

As Kagome made her way down to the kitchen, with eyes hardening against the tears that wanted to be released, she thought of her old friends. Just thinking of her old companions was almost enough to break down the carefully constructed walls that she has built up over the last two years. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Koga, and Keade, they will always be a soft spot in her heart. She has missed them dearly since she has been back in her own time. She only hoped that they were okay and didn't hate her for leaving. She never told them goodbye. She just ran like the stupid, naïve, childish teenager that she was.

She will never run again, not now not ever; she thought as a scowl took over her face.

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Kagome sat in her room going over everything that she needed making sure that she didn't forget anything. Thinking back on her family at breakfast she sighed, it was a solemn event. They acted like she had already gone and died on them. Nobody but her ate their breakfast. Souta kept a scowl on his face and avoided any eye contact throughout the ordeal. Her Mother rearranged the food on her plate so many times that Kagome finally had to take the plate away. And Ji-chan, he just sat there looking into his tea cup not saying a word.

She knows that they are all worrying about her but they should be happy for her. Shouldn't they? She is finally standing up for herself and finishing something very important on her own. What they don't know won't hurt them; at least too much. They will move on with their lives once she is gone.

Getting up from her bed, Kagome swung a blue and black backpack over her shoulders. Attached to the backpack was a quiver full of arrows that she had made while training. Along with her backpack, she swung her bow over her left shoulder for easy access. On her hip hung a katana that was given to her from her Sensei when she finished her training.

Walking to her bedroom door, she turned around to look at her room once more. Thinking to herself 'Kami, if I ever return, I have to change the color of this room. It is just too….pink.' Kagome shut her room door for what she thought was the last time.

She made her way through the house and out to the Shrine courtyard. She wondered why her family was not around to see her off. Her question was answered as she approached the well house. They were already there waiting for her. Her Mother had a forced smile on her face as well as Ji-chan. Souta looked so solemn with his down-cast eyes and a frown that hung on his face.

Once he looked at her, he started crying.

"Shhhh, Souta...don't cry. Don't cry for me. Everything will be okay, you'll see." Kagome said as she brought him into her embrace. "You have to be strong for Mom and Ji-chan while I'm gone. Can you do that for me?"

Pulling away from her and wiping away the tears, Souta nodded his head agreeing to be strong. He was after all a teenager now.

Looking away from her brother to her Mother and Grandfather "I must be going now. I don't want to hurt you much longer with this goodbye." With that said Kagome let go of Souta and gave her Mother and Grandfather a hug goodbye.

Walking past her family and into the well house, Kagome fought with own eyes to keep the tears at bay. She hated to see them hurting and it was her fault that they were. But she must remain strong if she was going to survive this. As she reach the bottom of the stairs that lead down to the well, her Grandfather came shuffling down behind her.

Laying a hand on her shoulder, he spoke "Kagome, I know that you may not be back." Startled, Kagome whirled around to face Ji-chan "How do you know, Ji-chan? I haven't told any one my fear of not returning."

Smiling at his Granddaughter "You forget, Kagome, I am a keeper of an ancient Shrine and all of its artifacts. I found some scrolls while you were gone that told of your mission. I know what you are about to face and I'm very proud of you. The only advice that I can give you is that you must follow your heart and be strong. I love you, Granddaughter."

"Scrolls?" asked Kagome. "There are scrolls that tell of my adventures on the other side of the well here at the Shrine? Why have you never told me of them? What do they say?"

Ji-chan just stood there with a slight smile on his face while Kagome shoot off her questions. "I cannot tell you what the scrolls hold or there will be dire consequences. You must trust me when I tell you that you must follow your heart and be strong. Just trust yourself." Was his answer to her questions.

After one last hug with her Grandfather, Kagome squared her shoulders and turned to face the well once again. Not letting any thoughts of him or what happened last time she was there, Kagome took a deep breathe. Placing one knee on the top of the well and swinging her other leg over the lip, Kagome gracefully fell down the well instantly being caught by the caressing blue light that will deliver her safely to the other side of time.

Please review so I know whether or not to continue with this story at all, Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2: There is no place like home

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own anything that has to do with Inuyasha, so please don't sue.

Chapter Two: There is no place like home

Landing softly on the dirt floor at the bottom of the well, Kagome looked up to see a clear blue sky above her. "Well, I'm finally back and getting no where fast just standing here in a well." Grabbing the vines hanging down through the cracks in the well's side, she made her way to the top.

What greeted her at the top was one memory that she never forgot. The beauty of this era was always breath taking. Everything was alive with color and the air was free from the chemicals of the future. The trees lining the clearing were waving their velvet green leaves in the breeze and the meadow grass that was around the well was tickling her shins.

She loved this era, but hated it at the same time.

Slumping down next to the well, Kagome began to get apprehensive about this whole destiny thing. She knows that she must complete the quest of getting the jewel shards and to destroy Naraku. She knows that she must do this to save the people here but also to save the people in the future. She knows what must be done but why her. Blowing air out of her lungs ruffling her bangs, Kagome sat there looking at the meadow grass blowing back and forth with the breeze.

"Destiny", was all that came out with her next breathe. Why couldn't she just forget? Why was she pulled down the well to begin with? Why her? She knew the answers to those stupid questions. She is the guardian of the Jewel of Four Souls. She is the only one that can protect it. She is the only one that can purify it. It was not only her destiny but her duty; the same duty that got her past life in trouble. But it wasn't just the duty, it was also _him_ too.

But she couldn't forget about _him_, the way his breath would tickle her neck or the feel of his hands upon her skin. The way he would look at her with love and desire or the way he made her body feel like it has never felt before. He made her feel like she was the only thing in the world that he desired. The feelings of being wanted, needed, desired, and complete were the only things she had ever wanted from him.

But that all changed in the end. He became distant. He became cold. He became cruel. In the end she realized that she had been a replacement for what he truly wanted. That is when she became his whore. His play thing to tide him over, all for _her_.

Kikyo.

The tragic priestess that died protecting the Jewel of Four Souls. His first and only love. Her past self. Kagome shook her head at that thought. She should have known that after traveling with him for two years that she could never have his heart with Kikyo walking around like the living dead. Haunting him where ever he went and creeping into his every thought. Kagome should have known that she couldn't compete, but she loved him with all of her heart and soul. She still does even after all this time.

"Even if you still love him, you will never have him, Kagome. You need to move on like he did and complete this mission that you were destine for. It is not her destiny, it is yours Kagome. She had her chance and she chose her path. You still have a chance to right what was wronged." Kagome said scolding herself with clenched fists. "Now get up and get moving."

Standing and letting her Miko senses out of her in waves, Kagome checked the surrounding area for any kind of danger. Finding none, she picked up her backpack and began her trek to the village.

The forest was slowly re-taking the path from the well to the village back into its fold. 'Seems like no one has been to the well in a very long time, I guess that no one had a reason to visit it. Gee, I wonder why' Kagome thought sarcastically to herself. Taking out her katana, Kagome made use of it to clear a better path for herself.

After a slow start through _his_ forest, she finally made it to the rice fields outside of the village. The village women and some of the men were working in the fields as she pasted. Pretty soon she began to hear hushed whispers from them. She mentally flinched as they referred to her as Kikyo's reincarnation and that she has returned to protect the village. Nodding to them politely but not making eye contact, she continued to her destination.

Keade's hut.

She will let Keade tell them that she has not retuned to be their savior.

Standing outside of Keade's hut, Kagome let her powers flare for a second to see if the old woman has gone soft in her years. No sooner had she rained her powers in, Kaede swept the flap from the door way like a bat out of hell.

"Kagome?" said the old woman as she eyed Kagome with her good eye. "Ye have finally come back." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, Keade, I have come back." Stated Kagome. "I have come to complete what I had started years ago." Keade moved aside in a silent gesture to let Kagome enter into the hut.

"Tea is made, would ye like me to prepare a cup for ye?" Keade said as she moved to the fire pit and slowly sat down.

Taking a seat across from Keade, Kagome replied "Yes, that would be wonderful. I have missed your tea, Keade. It has been along time since I've had tea as good as yours."

Narrowing her good eye, Kaede studied the young girl in front of her. Well not so much a girl any more. Kaede could not believe that the young woman before her was the same Kagome that she met for the first time four years ago. She has grown to be a beautiful young woman and yet her eyes don't hold the innocents that was once there. Keade hated to think this way, but the young woman that Kagome has become makes her look so much more like her dead sister, but yet so much different at the same time.

"Ye have improved your powers since the last I saw of you." She said hoping to get some much needed information from the young woman.

"Yes, I have trained to become a true Miko from a shrine in my time. I have learned great things that I thought that I could never learn." Kagome said blowing on her tea to cool it, but not looking at Keade.

"How is it that ye can conceal your power, I cannot feel it as we sit here? I know no such spell that can do that. It is like ye are just a regular woman and not a great Miko." Again trying to get some answers, Keade asked the young woman.

Not wanting to answer her at this time, Kagome changed the subject to why she was here. "Has there been news of Naraku's whereabouts? I know that he still has not been destroyed. Even through the time slip, the jewel shards still call to me and tell me that he still has most of them."

Surprised at Kagome's last comment, Keade searched her memory of any recollection that Kagome could do that before. The only memory came to mind is when Inuyasha made Kagome go back to her time and taking the jewel shards from her. She had said that she could feel the shards calling to her and that Inuyasha was in danger. Keade had never put two and two together that the jewel, whole or in pieces, could communicate to Kagome. Kagome did house the jewel for many years within her body after all.

"But how did ye get to this side of the well without a shard of the Jewel?" Keade asked as she looked to Kagome with her good eye. Said girl was not looking her way but staring into the fire pit.

Sighing to herself, Keade knew right then and there that Kagome was not going to answer her questions. "The others just left this morning on a rumor that a large amount of evil demonic energy that just appeared out of no where as been felt north of here. It has been slow moving for the group since there was no one here to sense the shards of the jewel. They have had to rely on rumors. It seems that Naraku has been in hiding for the last year or so."

Mentally shocked but not showing it. "What about Kikyo? She should be able to sense the shards like me. After all I am her reincarnation, right?" Finally looking at Keade, she asks.

"Kikyo has never been able to sense the jewel shards like ye, Kagome. She is just a shell of what she was. Her resurrection has cost her much. Aye, ye maybe her reincarnation, but ye are also more than that. Ye are the protector of the jewel; I think that the jewel and ye are meant to be one." Keade stated, not breaking eye contact with the young woman in front of her.

"One? So, you are saying that is the reason that I can sense the shards." Kagome said more to herself than to Keade.

"Aye but not just for the fact that ye can sense the shards. Will ye be joining up with the others then?" Kagome flinched at that question. Keade saw Kagome's reaction but knowing better than to ask why. "They will need ye help in destroying Naraku."

"I know what I must do, but I'm not sure if I will be joining up with them. That is something that I don't think that I could do and keep my mind on my task. There is so much that you do not know why I left, Keade, and I'm not willing to talk about it." Breaking eye contact with the old woman, Kagome stood "I have gotten the information that I needed and now must be going. It was nice seeing you again and I am glad that time has been good with you."

Watching as the young woman walk out of the hut, Keade whispered "May Kami watch over ye, Kagome, and help ye in the task at hand. But most of all learn to trust in ye-self."

Kagome stopped in a clearing just off the road that she was traveling on. She had walked at a steady pace since leaving the village, only setting up camp at night. Since the sun was beginning to set in the West, she decided that is was no time like the present to stop for the day. After getting her small camp set up with a fire going, she decided to go hunt for dinner. 'Hunt for dinner. If the others could see me now, they would probably all keel over with shock.' Kagome chuckled to herself after that thought then suddenly frowned. '_He_ was right……I was pathetic and useless after all.'

Kagome shook her head from her thoughts of the past. "That is over and done with. Time to look ahead." Smiling a soft smile to herself, she left her camp to go and catch dinner.

Catching a small rabbit and giving a prayer for its sacrifice, she settled down in front of the fire to begin preparing it.

While the rabbit meat was cooking, she thought about the last two days of travel and that she had made good time. She could sense with her Miko powers that she was not far from her old companions. Maybe at the pace that she was going, she could come upon them by mid-afternoon tomorrow.

Then she soon chided herself for making good time. She didn't know if she wanted to see them so soon. Well, not so much Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kilala, but she didn't know if she was ready to see _him_ and _her_. Kagome knew that she was with the group. Keade said as much when she was talking about the jewel shards.

"Damn it, Kagome, stop thinking on the past that you can't change and start thinking of the future that you can." Scolding herself while taking her meal off the fire. "You will be no better than her if you keep dwelling on the past for gods' sake." Deciding not to talk to herself any more and getting down to business of eating her much needed dinner, Kagome downed the rabbit meat and some instant rice in record time.

Yawning and stretching after she awoke before sun rise. Kagome thought that sleeping out under the stars in this era was the best thing besides sleeping in her own bed. She felt that the stars watched over her as she slept, keeping her out of harms way. That they were her own personal little guardians put there just for her safety alone.

With a new resolve and a meager meal of left over dinner for breakfast, she doused the fire and cleaned up her small camp site. Making sure she left no trace of herself she again began her trek in the direction of her old companions.

As the morning waned on nothing much happened to Kagome as she pushed forward to her destination. Just a few minor demons giving their usual request for her to hand over the jewel shards that she has or wanting to eat her for a morning snack. Like she was a helpless female alone in the wilderness, she showed them. Never breaking a sweat, taking them out was just a quick exercise for her.

She found herself getting closer to them as the sun shined upon her from over head indicating that it was mid-day. Coming to a top of a hill that looked down on a meadow, she heard the distinct sound of a fight and of course a lot of swearing from a certain hanyou.

Thanking the gods that she was down wind of the fight, she took in the scene before her. She didn't want him to know that she was there...yet. Miroku was lying on the ground and looking hurt pretty bad. Sango was at his side trying to help him. Shippo was trying to protect them with his fox fire from the attacking poisonous insects that were Naraku's trademark. But as far as she could tell Naraku wasn't there.

It seemed to her that this was another attempt on Naraku's part to use his shards to obtain the shards that Inuyasha's group carries. The demon in question stood in an attack stance fifty feet from where Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were. He, Kagome guessed on its gender, was good sized and looked to be part lizard. The demons body was covered in scales that gleamed in the sun light and was putting up a pretty good fight.

Front and center was Inuyasha, to Kagome he looked like he was trying to slash at the demon with Tessaiga but wasn't doing any good. Swearing up a storm, Inuyasha was not backing down. She guessed that he couldn't use one of the swords attacks because he might hit the others. At lease he still cared for them. Kagome's eyes soften for a moment while she studied Inuyasha fighting the demon. He was still as beautiful as she remembered. As she watched, she felt the familiar pain that she suppressed so long ago resurface once again in her heart. Gods, she still loved him.

Suppressing that feeling again deep down inside of her, Kagome looked for Kikyo. 'Where in the hell is Kikyo? Shouldn't she be helping with the fight?' Kagome thought as she scanned the area. Then Kagome found her, she was standing away from the fight and the others. She wasn't doing a thing but just standing there. No bow drawn to help Inuyasha or to defend herself. Not even helping Sango with Miroku's injuries.

"What a self centered bitch." Kagome seethed through her teeth as she drew out her katana. She will end this battle and obtain the tainted jewel shard from the demon since no one else seems competent enough.

Just as she was about to leave her spot on the hill, Kagome heard Inuyasha asking Kikyo where the shard was. Stopping herself to hear Kikyo's answer, Kagome waited. "It is in its neck, Inuyasha." Kikyo stated. 'What a lie.' thought Kagome as she resumed her descent to fight. 'Stupid bitch can't even tell him the truth that she can't sense the shards. It's in the demon's forehead you idiot.'

Walking past the dead priestess, Kagome charged her katana with her Miko powers and attacked just as Inuyasha dodged a swipe from the demon. The demon not expecting the attack, howled in pain but instantly silenced itself as Kagome's katana sliced the top of its head off. The body of the demon just stood there like it was never hit. Then as gravity started to take its toll on the lifeless body, Kagome grabbed the jewel shard as it started to fall with the ashed remains of the demon's head that held it captive.

Landing gracefully on her feet, Kagome turned to Inuyasha "If you can't fight, get out of the way for others who can." She then proceeded to walk up to the dead priestess, Kikyo, leaving Inuyasha frozen in shock. Kikyo just stood there and smirked. "So my reincarnation has returned to beg for a place within the group. You're pathetic to think that we would let a weak, little girl like you back."

Kagome let her have her little speech before calling the five shards in Kikyo's possession to her. Kagome felt no resistance from the shards, they obeyed her request and seemed to be happy as they left the possession of the dead Miko. As the shards floated to Kagome, she noticed that the shards were not purified but still tainted with evil. 'So, the dead bitch can't purify them either.' Once the shards came into contact with Kagome's hand, they were instantly purified.

Kagome gave her own smirk to the dead priestess when she heard the gasp come from Kikyo's lips "Correction, you are the pathetic one. You have no right to try and protect the shards. Your obligation to the jewel died along with you fifty-four years ago." Kagome then placed the shards with the one that she had kept into the leather pouch hanging around her neck.

Turning toward the others, Kagome walked away from Inuyasha and Kikyo's shocked forms "I also know your little secret, Kikyo."

"Kagome?" was all she heard come from Inuyasha who was still in shock at the appearance of Kagome.

Hearing a shriek of excitement and frantic yell of "Kagome!" Sango looked up from the wounded Monk to see a vision that she never thought she'd see again. There stood Kagome with a fur ball firmly attached to her stomach. Sango shook her head to clear the mirage from her mind, but it wouldn't go away. Kagome was still standing there, but this time she was setting the fur ball, known as Shippo, down.

"Yes, Shippo, it is me. I'm very happy to see you too, but I must help Sango with Miroku's wounds." Kagome said to the still clinging kit as she tried to make her way over to Sango.

"Oh, okay. ButIhavemissedyousomuchandIjustwanttomakesurethatyouarereal!" Shippo stated so fast that even Sango had a hard time registering what he had said.

"Kagome, is that really you?" finally coming out of her dazed, Sango rose to her feet. "Have you returned to us after all this time?"

"I have returned, but first I must help Miroku before we have a reunion, okay?" Kagome kneeled down beside the Monk "I think that I can heal these wounds, so he can rest and regain what blood that he has lost."

Sango watched as Kagome placed her hands upon Miroku's chest wounds and closed her eyes. A faint blue light began to form around Kagome's hands, then the light started to get brighter and brighter. Soon Sango had to shield her eyes from the light, but not for long. In a flash the light was gone and a groan was heard from the Monk. Sango looked down at the wounds that were suppose to be there but they had vanished.

"How? How did you do that, Kagome?" Sango asked with a look of amazement on her face as she knelt down to inspect the wounds that were not there anymore.

Coming up next to Sango, Shippo also looked for the wounds "Wow, where did they go?"

"I've learned a few tricks in my own time since I've been gone. I think that he should be okay now. All he needs is sometime to rest." Rising to her feet with a smile on her face, Kagome said.

In an instant Sango was on her feet hugging her sister/best friend like she would vanish in thin air. She couldn't believe that Kagome was here. Sango felt the last two years of pain for loosing her sister/best friend rise up into her throat at once. Choking back a sob of grief and happiness, Sango released her friend from her embrace and looked at the girl in front of her. 'Oh my, this is not a girl. She has grown into a young woman.'

"Kagome, you have grown up. Look at you. You are beautiful. We will have to keep that Monk away from you when he gets better." Sango said kicking the said Monk gently in the leg.

"Oh, stop, Sango, you are too kind. I don't look that much different. You all recognized me just fine." Blushing a little at Sango's comment. 'I know that I have changed, but did I change that much?' The sound of sniffling brought Kagome back to her surroundings.

Looking down, she found a small kitsune dragging a small foot across the ground waiting to be noticed.

"Come here, Shippo." Barely getting the words out of her mouth, Kagome found the kitsune in her arms. His arms tightly around her neck with a death grip hugging her. "Hey, you have to let me breath, Shippo-chan, or else I won't be here much longer."

Laughing, Sango let the moment between the two soak into her mind forming a memory, when like the saying says 'all good things must come to an end' growling was heard.

"Give Kiyko back the shards, you stupid wench!" Inuyasha growled out from behind Kagome. "Who the hell do you think you are? Give them back!"

Sango watched as Shippo trembled in Kagome's arms, but the look on Kagome's face was priceless. Kagome was smirking like a kid playing a prank on an older sibling. Without looking at the fuming Hanyou, she spoke "So, you finally got your tongue back, Inuyasha."

"Keh, you heard me. Give Kikyo the shards back or you will be sorry!" the fuming hanyou said as he came up behind her.

Kagome handed Shippo over to Sango and slowly faced Inuyasha "Like I told Kikyo. The shards are my responsibility not hers. I am the Protector of the Jewel of Four Souls and it is my responsibility to complete the jewel at what ever cost."

Sango could tell by the look on Inuyasha's face that he was not going to back down "Like I said before, you are nothing but a weak, defenseless, little girl. You can't protect the shards like Kikyo or I can. So, give them up."

Smiling a scary smile that could freeze the Nine Hells, Kagome walked up to Inuyasha. Inuyasha just stood there smirking like he was king waiting for Kagome to give him the shards. Sango watched as Kagome placed her right hand flat against Inuyasha's chest. "Don't get too cocky, Inuyasha, but your right I can't protect the shards like you or Kikyo." Just then a flash of blue light forced its way out of Kagome's hand and knocked Inuyasha a good ten feet from her.

"I can protect them better." Turning from him, Kagome once again took Shippo into her arms. She then looked at Sango and smiled a true smile. "Watch yourself, Inuyasha, anger me and I will purify your ass straight to one of the Nine Hells without your precious Kikyo."

Sango couldn't believe her ears. Kagome just stood her ground with the rash, arrogant, self-centered hanyou. She watched Inuyasha get up fuming at Kagome; she thought he was going to attack her from behind. But as soon as that thought crossed her mind, said hanyou turned tail and jumped off into the tree line without the dead priestess.

Kikyo stood there for a second with her stoic face looking at Kagome. Then she slowly turned to the direction that Inuyasha took of to and walked gracefully away. She stopped at the forest edge and glanced in Kagome's direction once again, "Don't think this is the end of this. I will have those shards in my possession again." With that said, Kikyo disappeared into the forest.

"Kagome, are you alright?" Turning her eyes back to her friend. "You know what, Sango? I'm right as rain. I can't believe that I just did that, but it felt...it felt exhilarating!" Kagome said, twirling Shippo high above her head.

Stopping as suddenly as she started, Kagome look at her then at Shippo with sad eyes "I'm so sorry, you guys, for leaving like I did. And I'm also sorry for staying away for so long. I just had to leave when I did and get some things straightened out for myself"

"We don't know why you left, but we understand. Once Inuyasha brought Kikyo back to the village and you didn't return. We understood." Sango said as she walked up to Kagome for another hug. Just then there was another groan from the Monk.

"Oh, I guess that we should take care of him. Kilala do you mind carrying the Monk until we find a good place to camp?" Meowing a soft reply at Sango's request, Kilala transformed into her super sized self and waited for the weight of the Monk to be placed upon her back.

Kagome gave Kilala an appreciative scratch behind her ears "Thank you, Kilala." Then the two women maneuvered themselves to pick up the Monk and get him on the fire cat's back. Once that task was finished, Shippo placed himself at the base of Kilala's neck to make sure the Monk didn't fall off.

"Where too?" Kagome asked Sango "I heard that you were heading to the north on a rumor about Naraku."

"That is all that Inuyasha would tell us. He has been very secretive since you left in giving us information. I guess that we should still head that way anyway." She said to Kagome as they began to walk to the north.

"Why did you and Miroku stay with him, if he was acting so untrustworthy?" Looking toward the sky, so not to make eye contact with her.

Sango sighed looking out over the meadow "I guess that we knew that we could not defeat Naraku with out him. We knew that he still wanted revenge on Naraku, so we felt that we could still trust him on that."

Shrugging her shoulders, Kagome looked at her again "I guess that was a good enough reason as any. The goal of defeating Naraku is on all of our shoulders."

"You know that he will follow us." Sango said looking ahead once again. "He will want to get the shards or the completed Jewel from you."

"I expect him too." Was all Kagome said as they continued their search for a suitable place to let the Monk rest.

Please review


	3. Chapter 3: Baka

Chapter Three: Baka

Disclaimer: Still don't own and never will, so please don't sue.

Inuyasha landed on a tree limb, digging his claws into the bark. Needless to say, he was pissed. The trail of destruction that he left with his claws leading up to where he now was perched was proof of that. Landing a fist into the trunk of the tree, trying to quench the desire to teach her a lesson; he sneered at the image of her in his mind. She was laughing at him.

'How dare she deny him what he wanted? Wasn't she the one that said that she would do anything for him? Wasn't she the one that told him that she would love him for all eternity…..no matter what happened between them?' Inuyasha thought as he clenched his fists and growled low in frustration.

Crouching down on the limb, he found that his right hand had wandered up to the burn on his chest. 'And how in the Hell was she able to do that to him. She doesn't know how to use her Miko powers and if she did she shouldn't have been able to blast him like that after healing Miroku.'

"She should have been too weak." He said looking at the fist size hole in the tree trunk.

Suddenly his anger turned to sorrow. Gripping the limb to keep his balance, he shook his head in defeat. No….she doesn't love him anymore. He had made sure of that. He was the one that made her go back on her promises. He deserved everything that she did to him and more. Everyone was right. He is just a disgusting half-breed, should have never been let to breathe his first breath.

"Inuyasha?" Looking down he saw the stiff form of Kikyo standing there. "Leave me alone, Kikyo." Whispering and inside his mind hoping that she would just do that. Leave him alone. It was her fault that he did what he did to Kagome.

"Inuyasha, I will not leave. Why did you not retrieve the shards from her? You know that she couldn't have done more to you. She is not that strong and still doesn't have control of her powers." Kikyo said, looking at him with determination in her eyes.

"Didn't you see what she did!" Inuyasha yelled at her. "She healed Miroku and still was able to do that to me. Not even you could have done that. Now leave me alone. I don't want to talk to anyone." Inuyasha crouched down on the limb and got ready to spring into the air. Taking a mighty leap, he was gone. Leaving Kikyo there where she was.

Getting away from her was the only thing on his mind at the moment. He had wanted to leave her for the last year and a half. But he couldn't. He owed her for what happened in the past. Still, he couldn't shake this feeling that he should be watching his back when she is with him.

Then he remembered what Kagome had said before she walked away from them to help Miroku.

'What did Kagome mean when she said that she knew Kikyo's secret?' Inuyasha thought to himself as he leapt from tree to tree getting further away from the cold, lifeless woman that he had promised his life too. Is Kikyo hiding something from him?

No, she wouldn't do that. They promised themselves to each other in the past. Once the jewel was complete, he was going to wish for them both to become ordinary humans. Just like their promise fifty-four years ago. They are going to be together. His life was hers and hers was his. That was the agreement. Right?

"She couldn't be keeping anything from me. Kagome is just trying to get between us, again." Snarled Inuyasha as he landed on another limb far from everyone. 'Yeah, she's just trying to start shit.'

Looking at his clawed hands, Inuyasha sighed and sat down on the limb ears twitching from the light breeze.

"Give it up, Inuyasha. No matter how much she hates you, she would never lie. That's not like Kagome." Speaking to him self as he looked to the sky above. Kagome would never lower herself to his level by lying. 'Then what is Kikyo hiding, Kagome?'

Leaning up against the truck of the tree that he was in, Inuyasha's thoughts started to wander to her. "Kagome..." He remembered the way she would look at him, like he was wanted and loved just the way he was. The feel of her soft skin under the touch of his ruff calloused hands. The look of unbridled desire she gave to him, no disgust or fear. The way she withered in pleasure under his body. She was so warm and soft, not like Kikyo's cold and hard body.

No, he has never thought to do those things with Kikyo before her tragic ending in the past. He still doesn't see himself being intimate with her once the wish is made. But he could smell differently from her. She never truly wanted him as a hanyou, she had told him in the past that she wanted to wait until he is human. She didn't want to be defiled by a half-breed. She does embrace him when she wants him to do something for her. She does touch his face in a caressing manner when she remembers the past. But she is the one that initiates the touches, not him. She doesn't feel like Kagome.

Kagome was so soft and warm. She never told him not to stop touching her. He was accepted by her just as he is. She didn't care if he is part demon, whole demon, or human. Kagome liked him just the way he is, nothing more or nothing less. She made him feel whole. She made him feel wanted. She made him feel like he does have worth in life, not just a freak of nature.

Why does he keep comparing the two? But things have changed; he doesn't compare Kagome to Kikyo anymore. He compares Kikyo to Kagome. Kagome is always on his mind. He was fine just remembering her, because he never thought that he would see her again.

Ever.

Now, she is back. What in the Hell was he to do now? Slumping forward and resting his head into his hands, Inuyasha let it all go and cried. He hasn't cried since his mother died and was forced to running for his life. He couldn't stop the tears as they pooled in his eyes and streaked down his cheeks.

He cried because he was an idiot for thinking that he had ever loved Kikyo. He cried because he knows that he has always loved Kagome. He cried because he ruined everything with her for Kikyo. He cried because of the stupid promise that he made to the dead priestess.

He had marked Kagome as his mate, life mate even. He had had doubts about doing it at first, but came to the conclusion that Kikyo and him could never be again. She was a walking shell of what she once was. That it wasn't really Kikyo after all. He had to move on and Kagome was his savior. Kagome was alive and full of love for everyone and everything. She loved him for who he was and not what he could be. She never wanted to change him. She just wanted him to be true to himself. And he loved her more than life itself.

They mated by the roots of the God Tree under a full moon. He had never felt desire like that before in his life. Kagome glowed like a Goddess that night. The sounds that she made and the way her body moved with his was….magical and hypnotic to him. That night their souls soared up together, twisted around one another and became one under that full moon. He had marked her. She was his for eternity.

Then she came to him a couple of months after mating with Kagome.

He told her that he was with Kagome and that they were mates. That he had moved on. That they could never be again. She was now longer the Kikyo that he had known and he was now longer the Inuyasha that she had known. That they were different now then their past selves. That the love that they had shared was only companionship in disguise.

The look that Kikyo gave him tore him down. She looked so lost and alone that his heart bled for her. How could he have moved on with his life when she was still walking around searching for peace? He felt dirty. He had betrayed her again.

She had left him that night with such pain on her face only to return several times after that pleading to him that she held his life and he in return held hers. That he belonged to her and no one else. They could be like they were in the past with the power of the jewel. She told him that she feels that she still loves him some where beneath the hatred within this clay body of hers. She wanted to live again and have a family.

She did this for several weeks wearing him down until finally he couldn't take it anymore.

So in the end, he broke down and accepted his fate to Kikyo. She told him that he'd have to get rid of Kagome. He knew that Kagome had to go back to her time. She was better off there. She would get over him after all he is a no good half-breed taking up space. She would find some one in her own time that could love her the way that she deserved. She would eventually forget that he ever existed. She would forget.

He betrayed Kagome for his guilt over what he thought was his first love. He pushed her away and was not nice about it. It killed him to be that way to her, but he had to reject her to remove his mating mark from her.

There were only two ways for a mating mark to be removed, through death or through rejection. Even though they were marked life mates there are ways to reject ones mate, if the female doesn't produce offspring or if either mate is unfaithful with another willingly. Once the mark is removed then either mate would be free to find another. So it was either kill Kagome or reject her. There was no way he could kill her so he chose the lesser of two evils so to speak.

By meeting with Kikyo when she called to him was in fact considered unfaithful to his mate due to the willingness of his actions to meet with Kikyo in secret and to lie to Kagome about the meetings.

When it started to fade away, he had second thoughts about the whole Kikyo thing. But she would show up at the right moments to refuel his guilt that he confused for love. The last time that he saw Kagome was on a night of the full moon in late spring. Kikyo had called to him. He didn't know that Kagome was there until it was too late.

She saw and heard everything that Kikyo and he did. She heard him confess his undying love for Kikyo and no one else. She saw the embrace that they shared and the kiss that Kikyo gave him. 'Gods, I was such a fool' Inuyasha thought as his anger started to rise again. 'I had the perfect love from the most wonderful girl and I betrayed her for guilt of a past love.'

He didn't know she was there until he smelt the distinct aroma of her tears and the movement of the underbrush in the forest as she ran. She ran from him. She ran from what he did. She ran from the pain that he caused her. At that moment he couldn't do anything but stand there. He felt his mark leave her for good. The connection was broken. He had lost her, the one he truly loved, forever.

"She may be lost to me, but I can make sure that she stays safe." Inuyasha said to no one but himself as he wiped the tears from his face. "I can follow her, watch over her until the jewel is complete." Then what? Would he steal the jewel from her? Would she give him the jewel like they had agreed upon before? Would she go back to her era for good this time? Looking up to the sky once more, Inuyasha decided that he would think about that when the time came. For now he would be there for her, unknown to Kikyo, so she can remain safe.

Keeping his decision to himself, Inuyasha traveled back to where he had left Kikyo. Gliding through the forest with a determined look on his face, Inuyasha's mind still raced with thoughts of her.

Landing in front of Kikyo, Inuyasha suppressed the feeling of disgust that suddenly rose up in him as he looked upon Kikyo's cold emotionless face. "Let's go."

"And where do you think we are going?" Kikyo questioned him.

"She has our shards, so we will follow her. She might even know where Naraku is." Inuyasha stated as he turned and walked away from the lifeless woman hiding the disgust in his eyes that he holds only for her.

Kikyo looked at his back with a questioning glare. 'He's hiding something. Humph...No matter, once the jewel is safely in my hands; Inuyasha won't know what hit him.' Smiling to herself she follow the retreating back of the man, no, _thing_ that she once loved. 'Nothing will save you or the one that you truly want...nothing.'

Feeling like he had been ran over by a hundred demons trying to see who could get to the virgin first, Miroku groaned. Cracking one eye open so the light from the sun didn't hurt his already throbbing head, he looked as best as he could at where he was.

The first thing that he saw was a camp fire. 'Sango must have set up camp' Miroku thought to himself. Opening up his other eye, he saw that they were in a clearing and not the meadow where they fought the lizard like demon. Miroku was confused as to what happened. The only thing that he could remember was being hit by the demon's claws, the sight of his own blood splattering out of his chest then a bright blue light.

Sitting up the best he could do and opening his robes to look at his chest, Miroku was shocked at what he saw. There were no bandages but what shocked him the most was there were no wounds. He shook his head with confusion. 'I distinctly remember seeing the slashes and the blood where the demon hit me' Miroku thought trying to convince him self that he was indeed wounded. But his body was telling him differently. Yes, he hurt but it was more like he was hurting from stiffness not from bleeding open wounds.

Still looking at his chest in amazement, he heard the sound of cloth being moved. "So you are awake, Miroku? How do you feel?" came a girl's voice that he thought he would never hear again. Looking up from his chest, Miroku focused on the figure that the voice came from.

"Kagome? Is that you, Kagome?" He said in a shaky voice.

"Yes, it is me. Why does everyone keep asking me that question? Is it so hard to think that I wouldn't come back?" She said as she crawled over to him with a smile on her face but sad eyes where the smile didn't reach.

"Am I dead because I remember that I had been severely wounded in battle and now I'm having visions of you?" Looking at his chest once more in shock, Miroku said.

He watched as a pair of hands touched his chest and heard her voice say "No, Miroku, you are not dead. You were unconscious when I healed you. Looks to me like I did a pretty good job of it too. Your wounds are completely gone."

Suddenly realizing that she was in fact right in front of him, he threw his arms around her slender figure into a tight embrace. "Oh, Kagome, we have missed you so much! We didn't think that you would ever return to us."

Feeling so much better and being who he was, he let his cursed hand drop to her nice, round bottom for a squeeze. "Ahhhh...you letch!" Kagome said as she pushed out of his embrace and connected a hand to his cheek. "Even when you are hurt, you still find time to be a pervert."

Before Miroku could say anything to his defense, he heard a yawn and then her voice. "So I hear the letch is feeling better" Sango said, rubbing her eyes from being woke up so abruptly. "Will he ever learn?" Shippo said imitating Sango. Both looked from Kagome to the Monk with a bright red handprint on his face.

"I'm offended that you would think that this simple monk would do such a thing. I was merely making sure that Kagome was really here and not something that my mind conjured up." Coming quickly to his own defense, Miroku said closing his eyes and putting his hands in a prayer like manner.

Squinting one eye open at the sound of twinkling laugher, Miroku saw Kagome with her head down but her shoulders shaking with her laugher. 'Gods, I have missed her laugher. She was always such a cheerful person.'

Lifting her head, Kagome said, her voice full of mirth "You haven't change a bit, Miroku, and I'm happy for that. I would hate to have seen any of you change who you are." But as quickly as her smile and laughter came, they were gone the next instant.

Then Miroku noticed that something was missing. "Where is Inuyasha?"

Kagome looked away from him, this action made him want to re-ask the question in a different way. Shippo cleared his throat and answered him.

"You should have seen it! Kagome was so brave and confident of herself! He was mean to her and she scared Inuyasha away!" Shippo said full of excitement.

Sango sat down next to Kagome, who was not looking at any one. "Well, I guess that you should know what happened while you were unconscious."

Before Sango could finish telling Miroku what had taken place, he was laughing so hard that he almost fell over where he sat. "I wish I would have been awake for that, he needed to get put in his place for making you leave us so long ago!" Then composing himself "Kagome, you should not be embarrassed about what you did."

"I'm not embarrassed about it Miroku, I'm just not proud of myself for stooping that low." Kagome stated as she played with the coals of the fire with a stick. "Well, I guess that the story telling is not over for today."

"Now that everyone who I want to hear this is awake, I will tell you what happened and why I am back. This is going to be a long story and may be hard for me to get out. So, bare with me, please." Not looking at any one, Kagome said. "And I will try not to leave anything out, but I will if I must."

For the next hour Miroku, Sango, and Shippo sat around the campfire listening to Kagome's story. Miroku couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had respect for Inuyasha but after hearing from Kagome what had happened, he was re-evaluating his thinking. From the looks on both Sango and Shippo's faces, they were thinking the same thing. What surprised him the most is that through out the whole story, Kagome never once shed a tear.

'She has changed.' Miroku thought 'She is still pure of heart that much I can see through her aura, but it is darker. She is no longer innocent in the mind and body. Her aura gives off the sense of a woman who has lived a life of turmoil. She has grown into a strong young woman, both in body and soul' Miroku looked at the young women. He knew that she would have had to eventually strengthen up, but not like she did. No one should have had to go through that.

Looking from Kagome, Miroku rested his eyes upon the lovely Sango. He hoped that she will be able to trust him with his love when the time came. He hoped that after what happened to Kagome wouldn't tarnish her feeling toward him. He wants to have many children and grow old with Sango, if she still wanted him.

"What are you looking at, MONK?" Blushing a deep red that would compete with Inuyasha's outfit, Miroku closed his eyes. "My dear Sango, I was only appreciating the way the fire's light highlighted your beauty."

"Humph...you were probably thinking something perverted, knowing you." Readying her giant boomerang, she sneered at him.

Holding his hands up to ward off the angry demon slayer, Miroku said in a slightly higher voice "No. no, Sango, I would never think of you in that way." Seeing her face fall to a frown, Miroku realized that what he just said wasn't any better than thinking perverted thoughts of her. Feeling the need to get away from her to save his manhood, Miroku jumped up from the fire. "I think that we will need more firewood, I will go retrieve some at once." He then proceeded to run out of the clearing.

Getting a fair distance away from the temporary camp, Miroku began to lecture himself about the way he seems to say the wrong things to Sango.

"Why do I say stupid things to her? I didn't mean what I said that way. I should just tell her how I really feel and get it over with." Miroku said to himself as he searched for dry firewood. He remembered the time when they promised to be together after Naraku is destroyed. He knew that the only way to be happy with any one, preferably her, is to get rid of this curse. He doesn't want any of his children to end up with the curse. He couldn't leave Sango with child if his wind tunnel decided to take him before Naraku is destroyed.

Sighing to himself, Miroku decided to stop the depressing thinking and get some firewood, before they come searching for him and find him talking to himself.

"Damn Monk..." Was all that Sango said as he sprinted out of hearing range.

"So, he still hasn't told you that he loves you." Kagome asked from behind her hand which was trying to stifle her humor in the situation.

Sango bent her head down to hide her increasing blush "He doesn't love me, Kagome. He just wants some one to give him children."

Kagome just sat there for a moment looking at her naïve friend before speaking again "He does love you and you love him. I don't see why you two can't tell at least each other. It has been four years now" Scooting next to her friend before speaking again. "You two shouldn't hide it from each other. You should just tell him then the ball is in his court to proceed."

"Ball is in his court, what do you mean by that, Kagome?" Looking up suddenly with a confused look on her face.

"What I mean is you tell him first then you leave it at that. He will need to take the next step in the conversation. What do you really have to loose, Sango. If he doesn't love you like you say then he should be able to tell you. At least you will know how he feels." Kagome said as she looked into the flames of the fire.

"What if he does the same that Inuyasha did to you." Sango looked at Kagome just as Kagome's eyes darkened with an unknown emotion. "Don't ever talk about Miroku like that, Sango. He is nothing like Inuyasha. I mean that even though he is a pervert, he would never hurt you like that." Whispered Kagome.

As suddenly as the conversation started it ended. Kagome stood up from her and proceeded to dig through her backpack for something to eat. Sango knew that Kagome didn't want, no, wasn't going to talk about it anymore. Sango then realized that Shippo had been too quiet the whole time. Looking for said kitsune, Sango saw him snuggled in Kagome's blanket asleep.

'I wish sometimes that we could be more like you, Shippo.' Sango thought as she got up to help her friend cook.

Deep inside a mountain cave not far from the group of friends, evil blood red eyes suddenly open.

"She has returned." a voice whispers within the cave.

Seconds later, through out the cavern, mounds of demon flesh begin to pulse with dark energy.

"I can feel her." whispered the voice again.

Slowly the pulsating flesh begins to fuse together.

"Soon my little Miko...I will come for you." Out of the darkness following the whispered voice, the evil sneer of Naraku came.

"Soon, I will be strong enough to welcome you home."

After dinner, Kagome found herself sitting by a stream not too far from camp. Having taken off her shoes and socks, Kagome let her feet dangle in the water. Taking a bath was the furthest thing on her mind at the moment. She knew that she probably stunk to high heaven from not cleaning herself since she arrived back in feudal Japan. But all she could think about was him.

She still couldn't believe that she didn't crack when she saw them. She was proud of herself for standing up to him. But she felt bad at the same time for physically hurting him.

"I don't know what came over me at that moment." Talking to no one special, Kagome kicked her feet in the water.

Crinkling up her nose, Kagome laughed. "Oh, but it did feel good to do that. Surprised the hell out of him. The look on his face was priceless."

Smile turning to a frown, Kagome looked to the stars. "Then why in the hell do I feel bad for doing that to him. He did after all deserve it."

Letting the tears that have been building since her talk with the others fall, Kagome cried. She cried for herself and no one else. She still felt the pain of loving some one but not having that love returned. She was cursed to live a life without a true love. The soul that she carried seems to be fated to never find its soul mate.

Wiping away the tears, Kagome splashed some water onto her face to hide the fact that she had been crying. She didn't want to look weak to her companions. She didn't want them to see her like she was in the past. Like she needed a hero to protect her.

She was done with having a hero complex. She doesn't need to be protected any more. She was her own protector now.

Then her thoughts betrayed her again by thinking of him. He could still turn her to mush on the inside, even after two years without him. She almost gave into him about the shards. She almost turned tail and ran. She almost flung herself into his arms and begged for him to take her back.

She had been disgusted with herself. Thinking like a silly little school girl again. Her disgust had been the only thing that saved her from breaking down. She hadn't expected to feel like that seeing him again. She didn't know what to expect, true fully, when she saw him.

She had to be strong. She had to bury her feelings to complete her mission. Secretly what she wants is to crush him as he did her. Kagome took a deep breath closed her eyes and exhaled softly. "No, Kagome, you can't be selfish and you definitely can't lower yourself to his level. He made his choice. You and everyone else must live with it." Kicking her feet angrily in the water.

Suddenly without warning her aura flared. "A demon is near." She stood quickly and searched with her eyes for the intruder. Not seeing anything, Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on the demon energy.

Opening her eyes wide, she realized that it was familiar and unexpected.

Gathering her shoes and socks, Kagome began to walk extremely fast back to camp. Trying not to look like she was fleeing, she looked back over her shoulder just in time to see a flash of red. She was no way in hell going to see or talk to him twice today.

'Didn't he have something better to do than bother her?' she thought as she narrowed her eyes.

Looking forward once again, Kagome suddenly stopped within an inch of a big red wall. "Damn it all to Hell!" she breathed out in frustration, looking up only to meet amber eyes full of an unreadable emotion. "Why are you here now?"

"Why are you back? Didn't I tell you not to come back here ever again?" Inuyasha said taking a step back from the fiery woman in front of him.

Anger flooded across her face like a dam breaking. "Who the hell do you think you are to boss me around? You don't own me." Kagome said through clenched teeth, readying herself to leave. "Now get out of my way."

"No!" He growled out as he grabbed Kagome by the shoulders to keep her there. "Why are you back here!"

Before she could get a word out of her mouth, Kagome found her self being pulled up to his chest, her lips being crushed against his. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't seem to get her body to work. She soon found herself within his iron embrace threatening to take her soul.

'No!' She thought as his tongue begged for entrance to taste her. 'I can't let this happen.'

A hand moved fluidly up to the base of her neck, the other found its way to the small of her back to deepen the kiss. 'No...he made his choice, Kagome, you must stop this.'

Her senses seemed to flood back to her all at once when Inuyasha ground his hips into her. 'No! His choice was not you!'

'NOT YOU!'

Letting instinct take over, Kagome soon found her self glowing with her Miko powers. She felt her powers burn with the desire to rid her body of the assault. With a flash of light and a howl of pain from Inuyasha, she was free from his embrace.

"How dare you touch me?" Stepping forward, Kagome slapped him across the face. As soon as her hand cleared his cheek, Inuyasha grabbed her wrist to prevent another slap. Getting close to her face again, Inuyasha growled out in a low whisper. "You never seemed to mind it before when I did that….bitch." The last word that tumbled out was visibly forced from between his lips.

Fighting the physical flinch that wanted to take over her body, Kagome smirked with her bruised lips up at him. "Like I said before. You. Don't. Own. Me. Do you sense you're mating mark on me?" Seeing his eyes flash with hurt, she continued. "No, I think not. You made sure of that now didn't you?" Gathering her Miko powers up into her clenched fist at her side, she defiantly looked at him. "So, unhand me and get out of my way if you know what's good for you."

With the look of defeat, Inuyasha let her hand drop and stepped to the side of the path. He didn't look at her as she past in front of him. Only when her back was turned to him did he look at her. He watched her leave the clearing by the stream, never taking his eyes away until she faded into the tree line.

When Kagome was out of his sight and hearing distance within the safety of the trees she broke out into body jerking shivers. 'Oh Gods.' Crossing her arms over her chest. 'I can still feel his heat radiating around me.' Leaning her back on a tree trunk and sliding to the ground, Kagome just sat there waiting to get control of her body. Her heart was throbbing in her ears and her breathe was short and erratic.

"Why do I let him do this to me?" Kagome whined to the trees as she hid her face within her hands "Why can't I forget him?" she whispered out.

Inuyasha stood where he was. He didn't dare move. If he did, he would only go to her and try to talk to her again...or maybe more. His blood was boiling. The need to be close to her was overwhelming. He could hear her heart pounding in her chest as she chastised him. He didn't know if it was caused by anger...or by something else.

Just the touch of her brought back so many memories of their times together. Her softness. Her warmth. Her smell. Feelings that he hadn't felt in over two years came flooding back with a vengeance. He wanted her. No not just her body, but all of her, like he had once before. He was addicted again and the need to feed his addiction was growing, soon it will unbearable.

"I'm sorry, Kagome." He whispered as he looked to the spot where she had disappeared into the trees. The decision that he made earlier that day was slowly being forgotten and being replaced with a new idea.

'What ever I have done, I will try to make it up to you. I know now that I can never live without you again. I will get you back even if it kills me, Kagome.' Finally getting the nerve to move, Inuyasha took to the trees and left the opposite way Kagome went. As he moved from branch to branch letting the wind calm him, his thoughts were on her.

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Getting control of her self, Kagome got to her feet and made her way back to camp. She could feel the demon energy that Inuyasha gave off fleeting away from her senses. 'Goodbye, Inuyasha.' She thought as she reached camp.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippo were all asleep. Kilala was being a buffer between the letch and Sango. With that sight, Kagome was able to smile. Maybe they will tell each other soon about how they feel. 'They at least deserve to be happy' she thought as she turned away from the slumbering couple and their chaperon.

Making her way to her bed roll and scooting the bed hog, also known as Shippo, over to give her room to crawl in. Laying on her back and pulling the blanket up to her chin, she looked to the stars. Kagome knew that sleep was not what her mind or her body, for that matter, wanted. Her mind and body wanted to think about amber colored eyes, silver hair, calloused hands, and soft lips.

"Inuyasha, why do I still love you?" She sighed out into the night as she brought a hand up to touch her lips. "Why can't I move on?"

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